Mother Jones’ David Corn Investigated for Inappropriate Conduct

Mother Jones Washington Bureau chief David Corn is facing his second investigation for inappropriate conduct in three years, Politico reported Friday.

Website CEO Monika Bauerlein told TheWrap that they had investigated Corn three years ago over allegations of inappropriate physical contact between him and female staffers and charges of making “rape jokes.”

Several years ago, women complained about physical contact of a non-sexual nature and insensitive remarks. We investigated and determined there was no misconduct. We informed David about the complaints. He committed to addressing these concerns. We monitored the situation closely and determined that it did improve. Now we are looking at the allegations in three-year-old emails published by Politico to see if any further action is needed.

Corn also issued his own statement categorically denying misbehavior but conceding that his past actions may have been misinterpreted.

“I am an exuberant person and have been known to pat male and female colleagues on the shoulder or slap them on the back, but always in a collegial or celebratory way,” he told TheWrap. “I have never touched any work colleague in a sexual manner. Once concerns were raised about this type of contact, I have been mindful to avoid it to prevent any misperception. If anyone ever perceived any of this as ‘sexual’ or ‘domineering,’ I am sorry — that was never my intent.

“Sexual violence is not funny, and I have never joked about it, or about women’s sexuality and anatomy,” he added.

In one 2015 email obtained by Politico, a former staffer said Corn made “rape jokes,” “regularly gave [several women] unwelcome shoulder rubs and engaged in uninvited touching of their legs, arms, backs, and waists,” and “made inappropriate comments about women’s sexuality and anatomy.”

In a 2014 email, another former female staffer said Corn “came up behind me and put his hands and arms around my body in a way that felt sexual and domineering.”

The Corn troubles are only the latest in a string of allegations against powerful men in media and entertainment that has roiled the industries.

Since the New York Times’ explosive Harvey Weinstein exposé last month, NBC contributor Mark Halperin, actor Kevin Spacey, NPR’s top editor Michael Oreskes and many others have all faced consequences after accusations of professional misconduct.

"What Bill Clinton did to the issue of sex to an entire generation, I believe this president is doing on issues of decency, on issues of conspiracy theories, on issues of fake news," Brzezinski said in June 15. "I think it's that simple and we're desensitized if we even argue it."

"If the president seems delusional about his accomplishments, you can point no further than that room," Brzezinski said in June 14. "There are no real men in the inner circle of the White House... none at all."

“Donald Trump, again, being a schmuck, thinking he can buy people’s integrity by inviting them over to the White House and wowing them,” Scarborough said on June 7 when discussing a dinner party at the White House. “That’s how he thinks. I know that first hand.”

“If any CEO, in a Fortune 500 company, was behaving this way, he or she would be removed immediately… they would take him out, he would have psychiatric evaluation and he would no longer be the CEO,” Scarborough said on June 6.

Scarborough called Trump a “bumbling dope” on May 11 because of the way a meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister was handled.

“Looking at the front pages of the newspapers here… The Wall Street Journal also, you look, of course, at pictures. The shameful picture where the United States press corps was kept out but the Russians were allowed in,” Scarborough said while holding up the paper.

Scarborough slammed Trump on March 31, saying that Russians are lucky that POTUS is “stupid enough” to pick up their fake news.

“We’re obsessed on how the Russians have hacked, how the Russians have tried to impact this, how the Russians have tried to impact the White House,” Scarborough said. “We’re really just playing into their hands.”